Among the hottest trends in home based design today is stone kitchen countertops. These durable, heat-resistant, luxurious counters certainly are a beautiful and practical accessory for any home. But with all the various kinds of natural and engineered stones available, choosing the right one for your residence can feel daunting. It time to examine, but each one of these counter materials will have pluses and minuses, so it is vital that you evaluate what an example may be befitting for the needs you have.
Granite Countertops
Granite is a common kind of igneous (volcanic) rock that forms beautiful crystalline textures. A hardcore kind of rock, granite is suitable for use as a counter in kitchens and bathrooms which is both heat and scratch resistant. Granite is made by pressure and heat over generations, so no two components of this piece of rock are ever exactly alike. This one-of-a-kind characteristic is particularly popular with homeowners who would like a very unique space. Granite countertops can be bought in an array of naturally occurring colors and patterns, from neutrals to striking blues and greens. Piece of rock countertops like granite do typically improve the worth of your home more than engineered stones like quartz as buyers usually gravitate toward natural materials.
However, despite its prestigious reputation, granite countertops really have several disadvantages. To start with, granite is a relatively porous stone, meaning it needs to be chemically sealed to withstand stains. The sealing process is straightforward, however it must occasionally be repeated; some individuals look at this requirement of routine maintenance a negative. Secondly, granite is usually a high priced material. While granite tiles can be used rather than granite slabs to scale back the price tag on the countertop, not every person have enough money a granite countertop.
Marble Countertops
Many homeowners are fascinated by the luxurious appearance of marble countertops. The distinctive appearance of marble can dramatically boost the value of your home, because it is typically considered a prestigious, sophisticated material. Furthermore marble countertops include the preferred surface for serious bakers because the cool stone is perfect for pie crusts, pastries, and other baked goods. Marble countertops are also available in a huge array of colors from delicate blushes to vibrant blacks, each uniquely formed naturally.
Marble is equipped with some distinct drawbacks like a countertop material. First of all, marble can be a much softer stone than granite, so it includes a greater tendency to scratch and mar than granite countertops. Additionally, polished marble is at risk of etching when acidic liquids are invariably spilled about it. These spots and marks can destroy the tip of your countertop; this can be avoided issue by selecting a honed finish in place of a elegant finish, but most homeowners prefer the appearance of polished marble. Finally, marble can be a porous, absorbent stone, meaning it tends to stain. While many homeowners much like the patina their marble countertops develop over time, many do contemplate it a drawback.
Soapstone Countertops
You’re likely knowledgeable about
soapstone from your high school chemistry lab; those black tables were made from
soapstone. Today soapstone is now popular in kitchen countertops due to the
extreme stain resistance. It is usually heat resistant and does not etch.
One downside of soapstone counters is that they are simply available in a
limited variety of dark colors. Soapstone is commonly a grayish color naturally,
though it is normally oiled into a black finish for commercial and residential
use. Soapstone counters will also be at risk of scratching. However, soapstone
counters can be sanded to remove nicks and mars, which means this susceptibility
to scratching isn’t always seen as huge shortcoming.
Limestone Countertops
Limestone is really a sedimentary rock with qualities much like marble.
Accessible in many neutrals and whites, limestone countertops have a smooth
appearance, unlike granite. Formed from sand along with the shells of aquatic
life, limestone frequently includes small fossils and shells; some homeowners
particularly value this phenomenal element of limestone countertops.
However, like marble, limestone is a soft rock: it tends to stain and
scratch easily and is also vulnerable to etching. Your limestone counter might
be sealed to assist prevent staining and etching, but limestone isn’t suited to
high use areas for example kitchens.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz
countertops are constructed from an engineered stone made out of 93% quartz,
pigment, and resin. This stone counter material has numerous of the qualities of
granite, but minus the upkeep issues. Quartz countertops are heat and scratch
resistant and won’t stain. And, unlike granite, quartz never needs to be sealed.
As being a man-made material, quartz counters have a uniform color and pattern.
Some homeowners do prefer this consistent turn to the aspects of piece of rock.
What’s more, it implies that if your segment of the quartz countertop is
damaged, the identical replacement section can be obtained from the manufacturer
without concerns about matching.
Although it may seem that quartz
countertops are inherently superior, they do have some of drawbacks. The main
concern is that despite a similar cost, engineered quartz counters don’t improve
the worth of your own home as much as granite countertops do. Home buyers choose
to natural material over the man-made counter, so you’ll want to remember this
should you be remodeling your house as an investment. Additionally, although
quartz counters are created to mimic all-natural look of granite, some
individuals feel that quartz lacks the depth and wonder of granite. To make
certain which look you prefer, make sure you see types of both natural and
engineered stone. Finally, with quartz your color and pattern option is more
limited compared to stone. There is a large number of colors available, but
especially if you’re wanting to exactly suit your existing colors you may prefer
the limitless rainbow of natural stone.
Corian Countertops
Corian is
another form of engineered stone much like quartz. This sort of solid surface
stone countertop offers most of the advantages of granite and quartz and also
several unique benefits. Like granite and quartz countertops, Corian countertops
are heat, stain, and scratch resistant. It’s also nonporous, so that it won’t
ever have to be sealed. Moreover, Corian contains the additional advantage of
being certified kosher. Unlike granite, Corian countertops can also be totally
integrated with Corian backsplashes and sinks to make a visually seamless
surface.
Nonetheless, Corian also has disadvantages. It’s heat resistant,
but only to 212?F. Higher temperatures will damage your counter, so you’ll more
often than not need to protect your Corian countertop from hot objects. Also,
just like quartz, some people choose the natural appearance of granite towards
the uniform and consistent appearance of Corian. Corian countertops may also be
purely available in limited colors and patterns, which some individuals dislike.
Using these advantages and drawbacks at heart, now you are furnished with
the info you have to pick the perfect kitchen countertop material for your
household. Go to your local stone countertop showroom or installer to see
samples and learn more details on making your ideal of beautiful stone
countertops a reality.
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